Skip to content
Isaimozhi
Bhagavathipuram Railway Gate album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Sevvarali Thottathile

From Bhagavathipuram Railway Gate · 1983

Lyricist
Gangai Amaran
Singers
Uma Ramanan, Ilayaraja
Music director
Ilayaraja
Movie name
Bhagavathipuram Railway Gate
Movie release year
1983
Lyrics added on
28 Oct 2021

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Thaanaanaenae…..thanaanaa…..thaanaanaanaa….
Sevvarali thottaththilae unna nenachchu
Thaedikkittu paaduthaiyyaa intha manasu
Akkam pakkam yaarumillae aalunga aravamilla
Suththum muththum paakkayilae thudippum adanguthilla
Sevvarali thottaththilae unna nenachchu
Thaedikkittu paaduthaiyyaa intha manasu
Kottukira aruviyilae kulikkira kuruvigalae
Pattudambu nanaiyaiyilae pasikkuthu manasinilae
Ponnudamba paakkaiyilae bodhaiyum theeravilla
Annamae…ae….
Vekkamathu ungalukkilla
Vekkam maranthaa pombala illa
Aasaiya solla nenachchen
Sollaamaththaan vittaenae
Sevvarali thottaththilae unna nenachchu
Thaedikkittu paaduthaiyyaa intha manasu
Ailaesaa…..ailaesaa…
Chorus :Hoyaiyaa hoyaiyaa
Male :Ailaesaa…..ailaesaa…
Chorus :Hoyaiyaa hoyaiyaa
Aarum alai oyaathammaa aasai adhu thaeyaathammaa
Vaadapattu ninnaalammaa vaasam patta poovaattam
Manasula kondaattam malarura sendaattam
Aarum alai oyaathammaa aasai adhu thaeyaathammaa
Onnukkonnu oravirunthaa
Nenukkoru sogamirukkum
Sonthaththilae palamirunthaa
Sorkkaththilum idamirukkum
Unnaivida yaarumilla otturavu thevaiyilla
Ennaiyya…..aa….
Ennamo solla nenachchen
Enna thottathum solla maranthaen
Enna enna ennamirukko
Ellaaththilum needhaanae….
Sevvarali thottaththilae unna nenachchu
Male :Haan
Female :Thaedikkittu paaduthaiyyaa intha manasu
Akkam pakkam yaarumillae aalunga aravamilla
Suththum muththum paakkayilae thudippum adanguthilla
Sevvarali thottaththilae unna nenachchu
Thaedikkittu paaduthaiyyaa intha manasu…
Thaananene... thananaa... thaananaanaa...
In the red oleander garden, thinking of you,
searching for you, this heart of mine sings.
There is no one nearby, not a sound of people around.
As I look all around, my racing heart refuses to calm down.
In the red oleander garden, thinking of you,
searching for you, this heart of mine sings.
Oh little birds bathing beneath the falling waterfall,
as your silky body gets drenched, a hunger stirs in my heart.
Gazing at your golden body, my sweet intoxication never fades.
Oh my graceful swan...
You have no shyness at all!
If she forgets her modesty, she is not truly a woman.
I thought of confessing my desire,
yet I held back and left it unsaid.
In the red oleander garden, thinking of you,
searching for you, this heart of mine sings.
Ailesa... ailesa...
Chorus: Hoyaiya hoyaiya
Male: Ailesa... ailesa...
Chorus: Hoyaiya hoyaiya
The river's waves never rest, my girl, and desire never fades away.
Standing gently in the cool breeze like a fragrant flower,
there is a celebration in the heart, blooming like a bunch of flowers.
The river's waves never rest, my girl, and desire never fades away.
When two souls share a deep bond,
there is always a tender ache in the heart.
If there is true strength in that bond,
a place will be waiting even in heaven.
There is no one for me besides you, I need no other ties.
Oh my dear...
I wanted to say something to you,
but the moment you touched me, I forgot all words.
Whatever thoughts cross my mind,
you are the only one in every single one of them...
In the red oleander garden, thinking of you,
Male: Haan!
Female: searching for you, this heart of mine sings.
There is no one nearby, not a sound of people around.
As I look all around, my racing heart refuses to calm down.
In the red oleander garden, thinking of you,
searching for you, this heart of mine sings...
Male
Female
Female
Male
Female
Female
Male
Male
Female
Male
Female
Male
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

Sevvarali Thottaththilae from the film Bhagavathipuram Railway Gate (1983) is a romantic folk melody written by Gangai Amaran. The song portrays the romantic longings and playful interaction between two lovers in the privacy of a red oleander garden. Through evocative rural imagery, the song expresses how love creates a sweet restlessness and heightened emotion when the lovers are together in solitude. Using nature metaphors—such as birds bathing in waterfalls, restless river waves, and fresh flowers—the lyrics emphasize the purity and depth of their emotional bond. The song captures the delicate balance between coy shyness and irresistible romantic attraction.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Monaivazhi / Rhyming Alliteration (Anaphora)

Akkam pakkam yaarumillae aalunga aravamilla

The repetition of the initial consonant/vowel sound 'A' in 'Akkam', 'pakkam', 'aalunga', and 'aravamilla' creates a natural folk rhythm.

Uvamai / Simile

Vaadapattu ninnaalammaa vaasam patta poovaattam

The heroine's beauty and presence are compared to a fresh, fragrant flower in silk ('vaasam patta poovaattam').

Irattai Kilavi / Echoic Phrase

Suththum muththum paakkayilae thudippum adanguthilla

'Suththum muththum' is an echoic word pair used in Tamil folk poetry to convey looking around repeatedly or continuously.

Did you know?

Trivia

Bhagavathipuram Railway Gate (1983) is a Tamil film directed by R. Selvaraj. The song features lyrics by Gangai Amaran, showcasing his iconic rural lyricism that weaves nature, local flavor, and folk romance seamlessly into movie songs.

Keep listening

Songs with a similar feeling

From the same album

More songs from Bhagavathipuram Railway Gate

View album

Spot an issue?

Help us improve the lyrics or English translation.